Thief fan missions and campaigns

[skacky]

The results should be interesting. Even though I intensely disliked his missions from a design perspective, I still voted for Soul_Tear for the new authors section because the guy has huge potential if he decides to be more lenient on the soviet difficulty.

 

[Max_b5]

The only reason I voted for Soul_Tear is because of his architecture skills, which is impressive coming from a new dromeder. Furthermore, he's just a promising new author and that doesn't mean he's the best among them.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I'm forgetting - what did squadafroin release?

Or Kurrhan, for that matter?

 

[skacky]

Squadafroin made 95% of the cityscape in the first Chalice of Souls mission (as well as many indoor sections). Plus his work on our campaign is really quite mindblowing.
Kurhhan made Forgotten Tomb, a pretty neat mission for the novice contest.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Thanks, that fills out my nominations.

 

[DrKubiac]

I voted Soul_Tear as well because he has a lot of potential. Regarding visuals it's extremely impressive, but gameplay is horrendous. If he manages to improve on these autistic decisions, he can become one of the best. For now, it's just potential... And do vote for squada, taffer deserves it.

It's really interesting to look at these lists, it does show one's taste.

 

[Melan]

I am currently betatesting a mission and I am suddenly tempted to change my vote for best new author. Whoa. Didn't see this one coming.

 

[Max_b5]

I am currently betatesting a mission and I am suddenly tempted to change my vote for best new author. Whoa. Didn't see this one coming.

Did Downwinder learn Dromed?

 

[Yandros]

Or BruderMurus...

 

[Melan]

It is all about the ice cream cones, folks. All about the ice cream cones.

 

[skacky]

Yeah, but are the ice cream cones in this FM better than mine?

 

[Yandros]

Surely to God you're not betatesting for HIM.

 

[DrKubiac]

Don't be silly now, his work is always perfect and doesn't need betatesting...

 

[Renault]

I haven't seen a lot of votes for some of the old classics in the TTLG contest - I guess it's easy to forget stuff from 15 years ago (if people have even played them at all). Still, to me, a mission like The Inverted Manse is one of the best missions ever created, but of course it looks dated now.

I am currently betatesting a mission and I am suddenly tempted to change my vote for best new author. Whoa. Didn't see this one coming.

Guessing it's for TDM?

 

[Melan]

Yeah, it is a TDM mission, and it totally looks and sounds like modernised TDP. It captures that elusive feel in a way that's just right. I would be real proud of myself if I had made it.

Speaking of the same, Goldwell's new mission, The Accountant 2, is not too shabby either. It is much bigger than its initial premise, the places you break into are really varied and interesting, and the details are impeccable. This one, though, I'd peg more as a strong TMA aesthetic.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I'm still mucking about with the Authors Awards for Thief. I jot down some names, leave them there for a day or two, then revisit the list and see if I've changed my mind in the meantime.

And I realize that an author whose missions I've adored hasn't even been mentioned yet in the TTLG thread, so I bumped that author up to the Nr. 2 slot.

And with the added categories, there is more room to include names that deserve a place in there. Now I have to rethink the whole thing over...which is just fine by me.

 

[Melan]

The only reason I voted for Soul_Tear is because of his architecture skills, which is impressive coming from a new dromeder.

I voted Soul_Tear as well because he has a lot of potential.

You are certainly not alone with this opinion.

 

[Dev_Anj]

I see just how... humble this guy is. We may have another Iron Eagle in the making!

I made a big write up about my choices by the way. It was hard to choose, but I did get some good picks there I think. Also why aren't more people voting for Haplo? I thought his missions were quite unique and he was well known and appreciated on TTLG.

 

[Max_b5]

What if he IS Iron Eagle?

 

[Yandros]

He's been bitchslapped by Athalle, thank God. She cited implied humility in the instructions.

 

[DrKubiac]

I didn't expect that from him to be honest. There goes the little respect I had for him...

He'll probably keep the russian difficulty in his future fms, he obviously doesn't call himself into questions. The more I think about it, the less potential he has in my eyes.

 

[JarlFrank]

I'd vote for stinkykitty because omg that Gems of Provenance campaign
Visually less impressive than Soul Tear's campaign but holy shit that level design.

I'd say Dev_Anj holds some promise too, because I've seen his work in progress and he helped me out with my mission, adding some great architecture there.

 

[JarlFrank]

He'll probably keep the russian difficulty in his future fms

Somehow I now have the sudden desire to replace all guard voice files in Soul Tear's missions with A NUUU CHEEKI BREEKI I V DAMKE

 

[Melan]

I'd vote for stinkykitty because omg that Gems of Provenance campaign
Visually less impressive than Soul Tear's campaign but holy shit that level design.

And there you have it. Trying to make a 2000 game look like a 2004 game is a noble goal and all, but it is obvious that's not where the meat is.

However, I will even contest the notion that Soul Tear's work is more visually impressive than stinkykitty's. Soul Tear certainly uses high-fidelity assets. (I don't want to single him out, since it is true for a lot of recent mission designers, but he is a convenient example.) The point is, stinkykitty's visuals aren't worse. He has very good visual imagination; knows how to build an effective scene from a few brushes; and knows how to turn the visuals into effective gameplay. Look at his loot placement, or the way he creates navigable routes, and you will see the true power of his design. And it is not like his scenes are all gameplay and no show. Here are just a few that stand out: the underground garden, the multi-level mine track area, the otherworldly architecture in the second mission, the interiors of CPWW, or the Keeper castle in the last mission. These look as good as anything made in Thief. No, they don't use high-res assets, but they don't need to, since their goal is different than the highest graphical fidelity. They are more simple, more essential, and very much in tune with the engine and assets he is using. That's skill.

Now, there are good ways to use high-res assets: Lady Rowena, Eshaktaar and DrK are very good with this kind of thing. And yes, Soul Tear's imagery is also skillful and meticulous. Too bad it is wasted on bad gameplay.

(As an interesting aside, I recall a recent discussion on Darkfate where Soul Tear was criticising The Black Parade. As his argument went, these are "clone missions" with stock assets and no unique content or novelty, and therefore turning the building process into "ordinary LEGO". If it wasn't obvious already, this cemented the understanding that our ideas about what makes for good fan missions are diametrically opposed.)

 

[DrKubiac]

As his argument went, these are "clone missions" with stock assets and no unique content or novelty, and therefore turning the building process into "ordinary LEGO".

Damn, it reminds me Ironeagle somehow...
Skacky confirmed master of the ice cream cones.